Nearly half of abortions worldwide are unsafe, study says

Nearly half of the estimated 56million abortions performed worldwide every year are unsafeand putting women's lives at risk, the authors of a study said onWednesday, callingfor greater access to contraception and safeterminations.

Worldwide, 25 million unsafe abortions occurred every yearbetween 2010 and 2014, according to a report by the World HealthOrganization (WHO) and theGuttmacherInstitute. Some 97 percent of those are in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Increasing the availability, accessibility andaffordability of contraception can reduce the incidence ofunintendedpregnanciesand, therefore, abortions.- Dr. BelaGanatra, World Health Organization

"Nearly half of abortions in the world are unsafe, and thatis surprising because safe abortion is a simple intervention, scientificallyspeaking," said Dr. Bela Ganatra of the WHO, and lead author of the study published in the medical journal The Lancet.

"There is an association between highly restrictive laws andunsafe abortion," she told a news briefing.

According to the WHO, around 47,000 women die from botchedabortions each year, accounting for almost 13 per cent of maternal deaths worldwide.

All women and girls need access to sex education andeffective contraception to avoid unwanted pregnancies and get safe abortion services if desired, Ganatra said.

Uruguay, Nepal and Ethiopia have made safe abortionaccessible in recent years, she said. Ireland plans to hold a referendumnext May or June on whether it should loosen some ofthe world's strictest abortion laws, Prime Minister LeoVaradkarsaid on Tuesday.

"Increasing the availability, accessibility andaffordability of contraception can reduce the incidence ofunintended pregnanciesand, therefore, abortions,"Ganatrasaidin a statement about the study.

"But it is essential to combine this strategy withinterventions to ensure access to safe abortions."

Around 88 per cent of abortions occur in developingcountries, where contraception is often lacking, said Dr. Gilda Sedgh, principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute,speaking from New York.

Ganatra said the wealth of a country also influences the safety of abortions, with the highest proportion of safe abortions occurring in wealthier countrieswith less restrictive laws and well-developed health services.

The study found that nearly nine out of every 10 abortions in developed countries were safe, meaning they were conductedby atrained provider and using a WHO-recommended method.

In 57 countries where abortion was available on request,nearly 90 per cent of abortions were safe.

"The highest proportions of safe abortions were seen in countries with less restrictive laws, high economic development and well-developed health infrastructures, suggesting that both the legal framework and overall development of a country plays a role in abortion safety," said Ganatra.